20 The Party

"Remind me again why we are doing this?" I grumbled as we walked up the path to Soren Silver's manor.

"Because Silver is a friend and he asked us for our help," Lyon stepped in front of me and adjusted the collar of my jacket. "Plus, who knows, we could find something out about Ceil while we're here."

"It's about time you two showed up!" Kari was waiting for us at the entrance, decked out in a long red dress with a slit up the left side. She gave a low whistle as we got closer. "Well, well, it seems you two can clean up nicely."

"You're one to talk," I gestured to her outfit with a teasing smirk. "Even your bar outfit doesn't show this much skin."

She returned my gestures. "You know that shirt has buttons at the top right?"

Lyon interrupted our playful banter by stepping between us. "Play nice ladies. Kari, do you care to give me a hand with this?" He tugged at his tie. "I had Saph help at first but I think she was trying to choke me."

"Do you think Jayde will be alright at the Den with just him and Galen?" I fretted as I looked over my shoulder back in the direction of home.

"They'll be fine," she assured as she and Lyon began ushering me inside. "Galen has watched over the tavern by himself the last few years since we've been going to these and he's done great. Now he just gets some help."

"She's just nervous because you know who is coming tonight," Lyon whispered.

"No I'm on edge because it's been four days and Ceil has all but fallen off the map," I countered and immediately grabbed a glass of wine from a nearby table. "He hasn't shown up to ask about the offer, I haven't seen him or my sister around town, and I haven't heard a thing about him from the people around town. It's suspicious."

"He's probably laying low," Lyon shrugged and downed his own glass. "He knows you're onto him and is likely coming up with his next plan of attack."

"And that doesn't concern you?"

"Not right now it doesn't. Look we will keep an ear out for any information concerning him but until then we are here. So try and enjoy yourself, Saph."

Kari placed her hand over the top of his second glass. "Yes, however, we are here on a job so do try and not make fools of yourselves," her face twisted in disgust and pain as Lyon bit her hand blocking his beverage. "Was that necessary?"

"This may be a job but we were tasked with blending in like the rest of the guests," he finished the glass and held his hand out to her. "So I plan to actually enjoy my night. Now, do you want to dance with me or not?"

She rolled her eyes but still followed him to the floor where he twirled her around for a bit, leaving me awkwardly standing at the wine table. I huffed and walked the floor, keeping my ear out and engaging in small talk with some of the locals. No one had anything to say about Ceil and I heard nothing about a woman matching Vivian's description, which only concerned me more about their sudden disappearance. I was zoning in and out of a discussion with a few low rank nobles about Lyca's council when the room seemed to suddenly pause. I followed everyone's gaze and nearly dropped my glass as I found Zierra talking to Silver's wife at the base of the staircase. In a long forest green dress decorated with gold embroidery, and her hair pulled behind her with a pair of handcrafted pins, she looked every bit like the royalty she was. Her eyes found mine and she politely excused herself and made her way to me.

"You look good in a suit," she smirked over her champagne glass as her gaze glanced me over. "You blend in with the nobles well in it."

Speak you idiot! I chastised myself and closed my jaw with a snap, coughing to gain my composure a little more. "You look stunning," I awed.

She spun a little, showing off the dress. "Your tailor friend certainly out did himself with this given his short time frame for making it."

"A beautiful dress for a beautiful woman." I watched as a young nobleman approached her, looking very sure of himself as the alcohol he'd been drinking bolstered his ego. He slid in between us, cutting her off from me and offered his hand to her. "I've been looking for a dance partner all night."

Zierra gave him a polite smile but in her eyes I could tell she was annoyed with his interruption and cocky attitude. "I'm flattered, sir, but I didn't come to this gathering alone."

"Oh?" He sounded unconvinced. "And where is your date?"

I smacked his hand away and offered my own to her, which she graciously accepted. "Right here," we stared each other down. "I was about to ask her to dance myself before you so rudely interrupted."

He eyed me suspiciously, like he knew me, and he did. He was a small time noble but I had been keeping an eye on him as his jewelry business gained traction and I heard rumors of him gaining his gemstones through illegal and cruel means. Deciding it wasn't worth the fight, he left, grumbling to his friends about how he was shot down. Zierra tugged on my hand to gain my attention and I found that I had been rigid through the whole confrontation.

"Are you okay?"

"Nobles and I don't tend to get along," I released my tension with a sigh. "Soren is one of the few I actually don't mind."

"Sapphyre darling!" A loud and intoxicated voice carried through the crowd making me groan.

"Speak of the devil."

Soren Silver shouldered his way through the guests, his dress shirt half tucked and his tie loose around his neck. He had aged a bit since a last saw him as streaks of grey decorated his hair by his temples. He would have looked like any drunk, boisterous noble, if not for the bright purple color of his suit and the light application of makeup on his face.

Zierra leaned closer to whisper in my ear. "I see what you mean by eccentric."

"Just wait, it'll get worse the more he drinks," I assured her. I gave Soren a bright smile as he finally stumbled up to us. "Soren Silver! I haven't seen you in months, you're getting old."

He put a finger to his lips to shush me. "You can't say that too loud here or people will start to think I'm incompetent. You look positively ravishing, Sapphyre," his eyes fell to Zierra. "You didn't tell me that you were bringing a forest goddess as your plus one!"

"You invited her here, Soren. Her name is Zierra, she just moved to town about a week ago now."

"You're the new elf!" He looked baffled. "My spies told me you were beautiful but their descriptions of you didn't do you justice."

"Thank you Sir Silver."

He waved his hands around like he was appalled. "No, no, no my dear! Please just call me Soren. Sir Silver was my father and I'd rather not take after him if you don't mind."

I snapped my fingers to gain his attention. "Soren. Focus! Are you sure you should be drinking this much? Your life is at risk and a drunk man is a lot easier to take down than a sober one."

He laughed. "You are most certainly correct Sapphyre, darling, but if I remained sober at my own party then my attacker would be able to tell that something was up."

"He has a bit of a point," Zierra held her hand up to her mouth as she agreed with him to try and hide the smile and giggle.

I took in a deep breath and released it as I rubbed my temples. "Fine. Just make sure you are always within eye sight of me, Lyon, or Kari please."

He gave me a deep bow, stumbling forward a bit from his intoxication. "As you wish my lady! Please enjoy the festivities!" Then he whipped around on his heel and made his way to mingle with his other guests.

"I like him," Zierra mused.

"As much as he drives me crazy I do too," I sighed.

"Now what?"

"Now," I took her, now empty, glass and set it down, "I believe I promised you a dance?"